Happy Masks
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: Regulus has betrayed them. Barty says he's fine. Rabastan thinks otherwise.:: Or on which Barty's descent into madness is noticed only by Rabastan.


_For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition_

 _Holyhead Harpies, Beater 2_

 _Mandatory: Write angst inspired by "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (song)_

 _Optional: (phrase) stabbed in the back, (dialogue) "You really told him/her, didn't you?", (word) lovely_

 _Also for, Insane House Competition: Alohomora_

 _Word Count: 1256_

* * *

" _Put a smile on your face."_

* * *

Rabastan knocks on the door, but there is no answer. He considers leaving; if Barty doesn't want to talk to anyone, Rabastan can hardly force him. The silence on the other side of the door, however, keeps him from walking away. Everyone knows that Barty has always been a little unstable— _eccentric_ , they had once referred to it. Something like this could be enough to send Barty over the edge for good.

Rabastan raps his knuckles against the wood, more urgently now. Once again, he is only answered with silence. Swearing under his breath, Rabastan draws his wand. " _Alohomora_ ," he says, his voice trembling.

Rabastan isn't a coward. At least, he would never consider himself one. Maybe he's always happy to stand in the background and avoid getting his hands dirty, but that's all about surviving, not bravery. Now, however, fear grips him and turns his stomach to ice. What will he find? Has Regulus' betrayal finally pushed Barty over the edge? Will Rabastan find his dead body inside the little home? He shudders at the thought but forces his feet to carry him forward.

Inside, he hears humming. Rabastan doesn't know if he's relieved or concerned. The sound is eerie, but it's better than silence. He follows the humming down the dark hallway. Barty's bedroom door is ajar. "Barty?" he calls, deciding it's best to let the other man know he's there. The last thing he needs is for Barty to panic and hex him.

The room is in disarray. Shattered glass and broken picture frames are thrown across the floor; Regulus' face in the photographs has been burned away, as though that's enough to erase his memory. Barty's writing desk is overturned. Parchment and snapped quills litter the floor. Ink has splattered the walls, leaving colorful stains.

"Barty?"

The younger wizard sits among the chaos, a smile on his lips. It takes several seconds for him to look up at Rabastan. The humming stops, but the smile doesn't fade. "Lovely to see you, Rabastan," he says, climbing to his feet. He moves closer, bare feet pressing against the glass shards and leaving a trail of blood. "If I'd known you were coming, I would have put the kettle on."

Given the state of the room, Barty's calmness is chilling. Rabastan swallows dryly, taking a step back. "You okay, mate?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

 _Because your boyfriend stabbed us all in the back,_ Rabastan thinks. He doesn't dare voice it. Instead, he shrugs. "Just… Everything?"

Barty's smile only broadens. "Everything is fine," he says brightly. "Now. How about that tea?"

…

Rabastan doesn't know if Barty is truly happy, or if he is just putting on a good show. When the Dark Lord falls, only Barty seems unaffected by the news. That eerie, serene smile remains plastered on his lips as Bellatrix lays out her plan.

Rabastan keeps an eye on Barty. His smile never fades.

"Such a lovely idea," the younger man announces gleefully, clapping his hands together. "Absolutely brilliant!"

His enthusiasm is unnerving; even Bellatrix looks disturbed by it. Still, there is no time for questions. They have to act immediately.

"Barty, mate," Rabastan says, catching his friend by the wrist.

Barty tips his head curiously to the side, still smiling that strange smile. "Yes?"

Rabastan hesitates. He takes a deep breath, trying to find the words to say. Barty may say he's fine, but Rabastan still finds himself walking on eggshells, so afraid that saying the wrong thing might shatter his illusion of happiness. "Are you sure you're up for this?" he finally asks.

"Of course! Why would you even ask that?"

"I'm worried about you."

Barty lifts his hand. For a moment, Rabastan worries the other man might strike him, and he takes an instinctive step back. Instead, Barty ruffles Rabastan's dark hair and chuckles. "Don't worry," he says simply before turning on his heel and quickening his pace to catch up with Bellatrix.

"What the hell was that about?" Rodolphus asks.

Rabastan exhales deeply, walking beside his brother. His eyes remain fixed upon Barty who is practically skipping in his excitement. Barty's humming fills the night air.

"Trying to make him see reason," Rabastan answers, shaking his head.

His older brother snorts. "You really told him, didn't you?" he asks dryly.

Rabastan scowls. It had been worth a try. He doesn't need his brother to tease him for making an effort.

"Insanity doesn't always look like Bellatrix," Rodolphus adds, his tone softer now. "Barty has lost it. I know you think you're doing the right thing by trying to protect him, but take it from me. You can't reason with crazy. They don't want to be saved."

His brother's lips are drawn into a bitter smile, and Rabastan knows that Rodolphus is speaking from experience. He wonders how many times the older man has reached out to Bellatrix. It clearly hasn't helped, and Rabastan guesses that Barty will be just as unreachable.

Still, at least Barty's insanity comes with a smile and a cheerful tune. He isn't dangerous like Bellatrix.

…

Rabastan doesn't bother trying to curse the Longbottoms. Bellatrix and Rodolphus are doing just fine without his assistance. He stands in the background, punctuating the silence with a single, repeated question: "Where is the Dark Lord?"

Barty stands at his side, still humming. Laughter bubbles from his lips as Frank Longbottom contorts and screams when Rodolphus hits him with the Cruciatus Curse again. "May I?" Barty asks sweetly, stepping forward with his wand drawn.

Rodolphus studies him for a moment before shrugging and stepping back. "Be my guest."

Barty positions himself so that Rabastan can still see his face. If that strange smile had bothered him before, it's much worse now. Barty looks like a child who's just won a shopping spree in Honeydukes.

" _Crucio!_ "

Frank screams again. Fresh tears fall from his eyes, leaving new salty trails along his reddened face. "Please… Please…"

Rabastan opens his mouth to ask the question again, but Barty doesn't give him the chance. With a wave of his wand, the younger man screams, " _Crucio!_ "

Rodolphus chuckles. "Looks like Barty might have some promise," he says proudly.

Rabastan doesn't share his humor. That smile only grows wider, and Rabastan feels sick when he realizes exactly how much Barty is enjoying this.

Frank doesn't even have a chance to catch his breath before another jet of light bursts from Barty's wand. "You deserve this." Barty laughs. "You betrayed us! _Crucio!_ "

The Auror stops screaming. His eyes roll back in his head, and drool drips from his open mouth. His body twitches pitifully. Rabastan wants to look away, but he finds himself frozen in horror.

"You deserve this, Regulus," Barty says. " _Cruc—"_

Rabastan finds his strength. He steps forward, gripping Barty firmly by the wrist and forcing the wand out of his hand. "Enough," he says.

The madness fades from Barty's eyes. His lips quirk into a smile once again, and he pats Rabastan's cheek with his free hand. "Why so serious?" he asks.

Before Rabastan can answer, Barty pulls away. He doesn't bother trying to get his wand back from Rabastan as he sinks back into the shadows, watching as Bellatrix continues to torture Alice Longbottom.

Slowly, the woman's screams fade. Their work is done, and they've accomplished nothing.

As Rabastan follows the others out, Barty puts an arm around him. "Everything will be just fine," the younger man tells him before humming again.

* * *

" _Don't worry. Be happy."_

* * *

 _A/N: The lyrics at the beginning and end are little snippets from the song. Along with that, I took the general happy meaning of keeping a smile on your face behind the song and twisted it to keep a smile on even as you're descending into madness_


End file.
